The Washington critic., 1887-01-13
THE CLoVES Foor.

Some railway man has been imposing
upon our esteemed contemporary, the
RepuJlicaG by pretending TO show
how the railroad companies can defy
and trample down the Interstate Com
merce act If it Is passed. That journal
briskly informs its readers, especially
Congressman, that
The bill before Congress can be rendered
nugatory by bill OF ladin: for each separate
short line. The Jurisdiction 0f Congress de-
Iends upon conditions and traffic contracts
wholly within the control Of the railroads.
They can devise system OF contracts which
will take freight out OF tho operation of this
bill and leave 1t dold letter
And il might have added, in the Ian.
euage of the late lnmentcd William NJ
Tweed, "What are you going to do
about it, Or, in the still more con.
else language Of the late Mr.. William
II. Vanderbilt 1t might have said:
damn the public
But forewarned Is forearmcd. II the
railway men undertake by any little
pettifogging iugglery to defeat the
operation of law of Congress, passed
pursuant to the Constitutional pro
vision which gives the Nation the power
e reguIs.7 Interstate commerce, there
will be such m uprising OF the people
as will brush away cobwebs and make
room on the public highway for all
who wish to travel, without let or
hindrance from any corporation.
The clumsy threat OF the railway
men means that they will give separate
bills of lading for the travel hrou3h
tdch state, and net frOm one state int
dH0thCr This would, they think, be a
system which would oust the jurisdic.
tion OF Congress TO regulate commerce
between the States. But how will the
railway company get Its freight
across the State lines without meeting
the unquestioned power Of Congress to
regulate the traffic? Congress may i'm
pose such conditions upon the trans.
portation of freight across State lines
as will compel the transportation com,
pany to disgorge to the shippers what.
ever amount he has been robbed of on
the way.
And, finally, II tue railway men, in
their blind confidence in the power of
money, take a stand against the eNar-
else of the Constitutional power of
Congress to check their eN.ortions, the
States will give Congress new powers
and exercise all their own. The bristling
aspect Of the railway corporations Ia
view of pending legislation, is most
hopeful sign--pride goeth before de-
structlon, and naughty spirit before a
fall.
The buster of the lobby is intended
TO furnish excuses for Senators to vote
10 recommit the report of the Confer.
ence Committee. 1t will not work. #
the railway men really thought they
could evade and nulliiy the Interstate
Commerce bill they would not be So
ilercely opposed to it, There can be
additional legislation, If necessary. Let
us have the good there is in the pend
ing bill. 1t would be the greatest OF
follies TO suppose that the railway
agents are sincere in their alternate
iidicule Of the bill as imperative aud
denunciation of 1t as harsh and unjust
"No rogue e'er felt the halter draw
With good opinion Of the law.n
TIE bill passed by the House yoster.
day-known as the Tucker substitute
for the Edmunds bill-for the extlnc.
lion of polygamy in Utah, is of a very
sweeplng character, asserting the